The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1887-06-30

was maligned at home-a name filter
for dog than man! However, did
manage to get in, and on being shown
to room cooled my face and feelings
in basin of water. Oh. why did l
not mark that room? Suffice 1t to say
that did not, but descended carelessly
to tea. A coy meal, which / shared
with Miss Spinney and my sister in a
comfortable room known as the library.
After tea proposed to take my sister
for drive. in order that might see
something of the country round. Leave
was extended until 2, and little pony
trap was soon at the door. Now am
a little vain of my driving powers. and
therefore was not sorry to see all avail
able windows occupied by curious faces
as we got in. gently shook the reins,
but the pony stood stockstill; ! smartly
touched him on the ear, in response to
which he playfully kicked up his hind
legs and flicked his tail. Again and
again repeated the dose, but with no
more encouraging result. At last the
knotted end Of the lash caught him
sharp on the nostril, and, stung with
pain, he started forward with such a
jerk that lost my hat. After severe
struggle. he was hauled in, and my hat
restored; but, altogether, | felt that the
whole incident had been without dignity
if not positively ridiculous. and my
pleasure in the drive was utterly de-
stroyed.
As soon as We got back, my sister
was packed off somewhere or other. while
l made my way to the library, where !
found Miss Spinney and three Of the
teachers, one looking rather duenna
like. the other twov Dung and decided
~ prepoSsessing, all gathered round the
supper table. This enjoyable meal
over, Miss Spinney, retired and left the
four of us alone. We had got on ex-
cellently at supper after the first awk-
wardness had worn off, the dnenna.
in particular. thawing in the most sur
prising manner; and now she actually
proposed a rubber. The rubber was
a great fun; my partner had pretty
blue eyes. and used them in the most
charming way to signal messages,
which kept me always on the qui vive
to interpret and reply to. Sometimes
our Geographic glances were intercepted
by the duenna on my left; the first time,
| became preternaturally solemn, and
was instantly absorbed in my hand, but
looking out of the corner of my eye
/ thought noticed an amused express
sion fit across her face, SO my courage
was restored. and henceforward our
eyes were quite unblushingly bold. In
deed l. presently proposed to initiate
the party into what said was simple
household game called ''poker.' The
proposal was received with acclama-
ton.
have SO often read Of the game in
Bret Harris touching stories. and won-
dered what it was like" said the duen-
ma.
They were apt pupils. or my enthu-
siasm for the game was contagious. and
the bets that were made were quite
shocking to see. as the poet Of the game
would have observed had he assisted at
it now. 1t is true We were not playing
for money-what then? Blue eyes
knew as well as / did, or perhaps as
the reader has OWNED. But all happi-
ness must now leave of. They babe
me good night one by one, blue-eyes
last, and will declare her hand press
ell mine. or mine hers, longest and
closest Of all.
So was left alone, and after incoming
round the room for few minutes. was
about to follow their examole. when my
eye was caught by shelf in book.
case behind the door, filled with yellow
covers. .Ah!" thought /, '.here are
the coniiscations. And so they were;
a few French novels, dotted amongst a
number of wild English sensational
yellow-backs Il was Mortified to find
..Jane Eyre" represented by three
copies; Mortified, mean, to find them
contiscatedD formed the choice collec.
ton. The bulk Of them seemed mere
sentimental twaddlings. but the picture
on the cover Of one reused my curiosity
it represented a gentleman lying dead
on the floor of room with a peaceful
scowl on his face, and on either side oil
him the kneeling figure of woman,
one fair, the other dark, the fair one
| wringing her hands, the dark one calm
~ putting little revolver into
its case. This was the one selected te
take down and read. 1t turned out te
be an exciting bigamy, and l read or
until a neighboring clock warned mt
that IL had come. rose with feeling
of relief, for knew that the bigamy was
going to result in murder, and what had
gone before was narrowing enough
Carefully put out the lights and step
ped into the passage, where found my
candle, but no matches! Creeping bacl
into the library, | fumbled along tn.
mantelpiece and over the tables. but M
matches! Then, with burglariou'
feeling. l stole along the passage to tn.
kitchen; the door creaked dismally OF
on opening; l entered, and fount
the fire carefully raked out, ant
still no matches! The thought as Il
how on earth was to find my room il
the dark became almost unbearablc;
remembered that it was an end room
but rs to which of the maze of passage
it was in, and on which ideas my mint
was an absolute blank.
At length ! mustered up courage
enough to begin the ascent of tn
stails; they groaned at each step, SO
took off my boots. When got to tn
top made long pause to consider
Before me was long passage which
certainly remembered, from it branche,
several small passages. one Of which LEI
to my room. But which of them
Alas, had no idea. A happy though
struck me, to toss for it, but again
was thwarted; in the first place
should probably miss the coin an
awaken somebody with the noise; i
the second place, if l did catch it,
couldn't see it. So that was no use.
Desperation came to tie rescue, an
l grimly made up my mind to walk u
the middle passage. l did SO, and felt tn
two end doors with NV finger tins /